Dealing with Drugogg Report

General Summary

From the journal of Anduro Taeri
Drunken Duels and Seafaring Shanties     Some people have no self control. In a brash and possibly inebriated moment of wisdom, a certain artificer fired his pistol in the tavern, cutting everyone’s night short. The crowd, wildly shouting and hollering, became instantly silent, all looking in our table’s direction. Jakuul seemed to flash to our group and pick up the sidearm, claiming the source of the disturbance. Guards soon showed up to arrest him and he absconded into the docks area to lead them on a wild chase with them in tow.     The rest of us sat around for some time trying to feign innocence by association, staring at our drinks and avoiding eye contact with other patrons as best we could. After an hour or two, Jakuul reappeared in the tavern with a slight wobbly gait and wreaking of a combined green sageleaf, and strong alcohol reminiscent. He was accompanied by Drugog and both were clearly faced, of the excrement variety.     He offered me a puff of some strange pipe, and I obliged in southern Galean tradition, showing them that my mother, even though I technically had none, had proverbially not raised a coward. Apparently the drinks combined with this leaf had a euphoric but depressant effect, and I became weary and suddenly aware of the weight of my limbs as heavy as lead.     Suddenly, for reasons beyond my attention, the staff bard of the tavern began to erupt into song, apparently a most choreographed and regular affair -- singing the praises and legends of Drugog the fighter.   He faced the foes by one or in scores With e'ry opponent he wiped the floors! The Pit of Fools Champion forever more It's Drugog the Mighty!   Now Drugog ain't the brightest chap He likes a nice tune played from the back But the words go in one ear and RIGHT out the other Just overly focused on the men that he smothers   The rest of the barback members began delivering shortswords and other various weapons encased in pillows and various forms of padding, and quickly advised us to attack Drugog with these weapons. While anything short of an eldritch bolt would normally be my mode of combat, I was nonetheless obliged after Randuras and Kico had begun to engage the tall fighter with a sort of playful candor.   The staff continued to chant and sing along with the band:   I'll give you a tip if you lend me your ear Don't hit him too hard, his rage is quite near Fight 'im with one of them pillowed sticks This nightmare will be over lickety split   Don't hit him too hard, on that we frown Last time the roof almost came crashin down Don't bury us all, that'd be a boon The Pit of Fools'd make a terrible tomb   I decided to throw one of the padded items towards Drugog, striking him in the head lightly as he seemed to laugh off the blow. The rest of us continued to play-fight with the monstrous statured fellow, hitting him with padding and tickling of various types of feigned attacks. Kico made a dire attack towards his head, and ended up striking an unfortunate spot on his nose with inadvertent accuracy, causing his nose to bleed and his eyes to well up with tears. The rest of us took a silent breath and backed away as Drugog began to rage in frustration.   The bards continued as the cheers from the crowd grew louder:   The key's to get him really sloshin' drunk Lead him out the tavern or else we're sunk That Ogre's throne is just a trash pile We keep him fed and liquored and drugged all the while   Lest Druggog decides that Wallsard's his lair He'll rampage the streets, the guards'l slay 'im We brought him here for some entertainment Now the security of all is our arraignment   In a haze of uncertainty, and perhaps under the influence of the pipeweed, began to dance and rip the contents of the pillowed weapons, fluttering the air with plumes and feathers from random various birds as confetti. With Magnus’ grappling holding him steady, and his attention distracted by the floating particles, he began to relax a bit as the rest of us continued to pommel him with soft blows of superficial danger. Kico rolled forward and healed Drugog out of remorse, similar to a sibling trying to avoid being punished from hitting too hard in a rivalry, while Randuras used a quick cantrip to cause a flash of light and smoke to partially blind the already distracted behemoth.   The crowd roared and laughed as they shouted and sang:   Drugog, the Mighty, Drugog, the MIGHTY!   We continued to strike Drugog with various attacks of arguably ineffective lethality, and suddenly the barkeep came from out behind the bar with a hurry and a oversized tankard, offering it to our group to present to Drugog, while hurriedly telling us to give it to him as ‘his prize’ for ‘winning’. Magnus refused to let up out of pride, Drugog began to scramble to reach and pull him off of his back, the group began to chant ‘Drugog the Mighty!’ to appease his ego, while the barkeep pleaded with Magnus to release him and declare him the victor despite technicality.   Congratulated by both the crowd and Drugog himself, the titan giant offered to drink with us any time, impressed by our participation and after downing his tankard, a mix between intoxicated wobble and several blows to the head, slowly mumbled about going back to his throne, taking a few steps, then toppling over into the sand in a stupor and snoring slumber.   The rest of us cheered with the patrons and were offered rooms from Drew Folcard, and found our way up the steps of the tavern into the rooms section of their inn facilities. Jakuul barely stumbled into his bed before falling straight to sleep, with various bruises and hiccupping along the way. Randuras also seemed to be having trouble walking a straight line as they found their individual rooms for the evening. We all found our respective pillow quite welcome even though reminiscent of the previous battle, and much more inviting after the excitement of the evening.   We awoke to voices in the common area of the breakfast area for guests, a complimentary veritable feast laid out for our group. Magnus slowly walked into the hearth area, and then rushed himself to the restroom suddenly in a comical manner.   Randuras, despite his hangover, denied recalling any of the night's details including his discharged pistol. His thoughts wandered to the shards we carried and their similarity. He retreated to a room with Neeon for a brief moment, before we heard a large concussive force erupt from their room. Jakuul and I had been on the lookout to avoid curious ears and eyes, and immediately investigated the noise. We found the pair struck to the ground, collecting themselves, only to find the shards had now fused together. Similar to when Blue’s shard had fused initially to the piece we found in the Ossuary, we now had a second fusion and a new and much larger piece of the shard in our possession. It appeared now not fused, but reformed together in the joining energy.   As we exited the room, we found a young orcish woman chatting up Magnus, and upon our emerging into the common area once again, Magnus looked queasy and excused himself to the restroom apparently nauseous from attention. It was not like Magnus to have a vulnerability, but apparently the attention of young ladies caught him off guard despite the big gentleman’s outward appearance of strength. She appeared embarrassed for having been caught talking to her infatuation and object of affections, and hurried off to her tavern duties elsewhere.   Jakuul rightly suspected that since the artifact has now fused together, we should not linger in the tavern. I also concurred, since the last time we had witnessed similar events we had been on the run from other parties seeking to usurp the shard. The group briefly reprised the previous idea that we would explore the underwater fortress off the coast of Wallsard near a geographical feature known as the ‘The Fangs’ to guide our navigation. We had talked about how we might traverse the depths without adversity or challenge, and after coming to a stalemate, Randuras cleared the fog in his mental fortitude from the debauchery of last night, and remembered he may have a friend of his that may be able to help. A collector by the name of Baldo Mugwes, someone who had the proclivity of finding rare devices and methods for a myriad of adventurer’s needs.   But first, we would need to find a disguise for our amphibious friend who had crossed the law. Jakuul would not be able to escape the streets of Wallsard without being able to deceive the local constabulary, who had now been looking for him for not one but now two offenses, and surely taking it personally offensive that he had evaded them repeatedly. We procured a makeshift cloak and ensemble to obscure his visage and frog-like form, while Magnus and I went to the stables.   The plan was for the group to procure a means from Baldo through Randuras’ previous relationship together, meanwhile I decided to spend time with my horse as it would be a long journey and any long trot with a hooved animal, as short as my time had been around such large mammals, I knew from experience it would be good to feed and groom to hopefully build trust before asking so much from a creature as we would be.   The group joined us at the stables shortly after meeting with their compatriots who advised them how to acquire a vessel to aid use in our travels. Armed with a writ of passage from Baldo, Randuras entrusted us with the official document that would vouch for our usage of the ship. While the rest of the group stayed at the stables, Magnus and I ventured to the docks to meet up with the captain named Velma Caskbow, who was the head authority of the Magdalen, a rustic sea vessel armed with a strange device that was beyond my current comprehension, but perhaps Randuras would be familiar.   After a brief, cordial chat, and a slight extortion in the name of insurance of safety, we paid a hefty fee once we mentioned The Fangs of Wolfbraun, which apparently had a notorious reputation for being treacherous and dangerous. We came to an agreement and shook hands, exchanged coin for the promise of passage, and met back up with our friends who had met back up with Coro as well. After convening and confirming our navigational plan, we grouped up and spent the night on the Magdalen, an impressive vessel on a slip on the docks of Wallsard. Multiple levels, and plenty of space, and armed with a complimentary crew paid and insured by our expenditures, we prepared for the journey with a great evening of relaxation and food. Coro wooed Neoon with a nice dinner on their own, Magnus and myself enjoyed a nice cache of rum and limes, sharing stories of adventure, and the rest of us savored the evening as we ventured off in the morning to find the next leg of our journey into the depths to find the torturous menace holding the elementals in thrall and attacking the lands.   It would not be an easy venture ahead of us, but for one moment and one evening, we would enjoy ourselves and our friendships before being tested by the leagues below.